Air Cylinder Design with Integrated Bolster Features

ABSTRACT

A support surface includes a plurality of air cylinders disposed crosswise and aligned to define the support surface. The air cylinders include a first foam therein. Adjacent cylinders are provided with varying support characteristics to define multiple support zones along a length of the support surface. At least some of the plurality of air cylinders additionally include an integrated bolster at ends thereof that is formed of a second foam, firmer than the first foam.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

(NOT APPLICABLE)

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

(NOT APPLICABLE)

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a support surface with increased therapeutic surface area and, more particularly, to a support surface including air cylinders that incorporate bolsters as an integrated feature.

Foam-filled air cylinders are commonly used in medical mattresses to provide alternating pressure therapy to patients. These welded air cylinders can take on a variety of shapes. Using open cell foam, the air cylinders serve to create a structured shape when unloaded and achieve a wicking effect of air transfer/movement from one cylinder to another when a patient/user is supported on or moving on the support surface.

The foams in these air cylinders can be layered with different support characteristics to create progressive support. The foams can be single blocks of foam that differ from adjacent cylinders to create zonal areas of support longitudinally from head to foot. Additionally, the cylinders can be plumbed to operate with or without a pump in an open or closed system.

Generally, these types of mattresses use firmer side rails that lend a sense of stability to the patient and help provide assurance that the patient will remain centered side-to-side on the surface. Conventionally, this is accomplished using separate, firmer bolsters (side rails) added to the outside of the air cylinders to effectively frame in the air cylinders (the therapeutic component) of the support surface. The side rails are typically separate features in the mattress that are added to the outside of the therapeutic component.

A problem arises, however, particularly with narrower support surfaces such as stretchers or emergency pads or the like in that less than the full width of the support surface can claim to have a therapeutic application. Since the firmer bolsters are attached to the outside of the air cylinders, the bolster portions of the support surface are not capable of providing varying support characteristics.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It would thus be desirable for a support surface to increase the therapeutic surface area while maintaining the bolsters function. A support surface includes air cylinders that incorporate the bolsters as an integrated feature into the internal foam, which is inside the cylinders themselves. These bolsters line up in a cylinder cavity to define the bolstered side rails. By incorporating firmer foam at the end of the foam within the air cylinders, the side bolstering function can be achieved but with the advantage of additional therapeutic surface area.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a support surface includes a plurality of air cylinders disposed crosswise and aligned to define the support surface. The air cylinders include a first foam therein. Adjacent cylinders are provided with varying support characteristics to define multiple support zones along a length of the support surface. At least some of the plurality of air cylinders additionally include an integrated bolster at ends thereof that is formed of a second foam, firmer than the first foam. The support surface may additionally include a source of pressurized air communicating with at least some of the air cylinders. The source of pressurized air selectively varies the support characteristics of the air cylinder or air cylinders to which it is attached. The first foam may be layered with differing structural characteristics to create progressive support. In a preferred construction, a plurality of the air cylinders comprise the integrated bolsters, where the integrated bolsters of adjacent air cylinders are aligned to define side rails along the length of the support surface.

In one construction, the plurality of air cylinders define a cylinder section of the support surface, where the support surface further includes a head section attached to the cylinder section at a head end thereof, a heel section attached at a heel end thereof, a base layer disposed beneath the cylinder section, and an interface layer disposed overlaying the cylinder section. In this context, the support surface may include ten air cylinders. Moreover, the base layer may be disposed beneath the cylinder section and the head section, and the interface layer may be disposed overlaying the cylinder section and the heel section.

In another exemplary embodiment of the invention, a support surface includes an air cylinder section including a plurality of air cylinders, a head section attached to a head end of the cylinder section, and a heel section attached to a heel end of the cylinder section. Each of the plurality of cylinders has a foam cavity including a foam insert therein, and at least some of the foam inserts include a center foam section and foam bolster sections disposed at outside ends of the center foam section, where the foam bolster sections are firmer than the center foam section. In this context, the foam bolster sections of adjacent air cylinders may be aligned to define side rails along a length of the support surface. Moreover, the foam bolster sections may be integral with the center foam section.

In yet another exemplary embodiment, a support surface includes a plurality of air cylinders disposed crosswise and aligned to define the support surface. The air cylinders have foam therein, and the air cylinders are provided with varying support characteristics. The air cylinders include a main support component along a length of the support surface and in a center of the support surface, and a pair of side support components along the length of the support surface and on opposite sides of the main support component. The side support components are firmer than the main support component. The main support component and the side support components extend across substantially an entire width of the support surface such that substantially the entire width of the support surface is a therapeutic surface. The support surface may be less than 20″ wide, and more preferably is about 18″ wide. In one arrangement, each of the air cylinders includes a center foam section and foam bolster sections disposed at outside ends of the center foam section, where the foam bolster sections are firmer than the center foam section.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary air stretcher board pad utilizing air cylinders with integrated bolsters;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the exemplary board pad showing the arrangement of the air cylinders;

FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of the exemplary board pad; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a cylinder with integrated bolsters.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary stretcher board pad 10 including a plurality of air cylinders 12 disposed crosswise and aligned to define a cylinder section 13 of the support surface. Adjacent cylinders 12 are provided with varying support characteristics to define multiple support zones along a length of the support surface 10. The air cylinders 12 include a cylinder case 12 a and a foam material 12 b disposed within the cylinder case. A head section 14 is attached to a head end of the cylinder section 13, and a heel section 16 is attached to a heel end of the cylinder section 13. The head section 14 is formed using a foam head layer 18 that is of a low hardness and is suitable for supporting a person's head. The heel section 16 includes a soft foam layer 20 suited for supporting a person's heels. As shown, a soft interface layer 22 extends from above the heel section 16 and the cylinder section 13. A nitril sponge base layer 24 extends underneath the cylinder section 13 and the head section 14. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the stretcher board pad 10 as constructed is less than twenty inches wide and, more particularly, about eighteen inches wide.

In the conventional construction, as described above, it is typical to incorporate side rails to assist the patient in remaining centered on the surface. The conventional means of accomplishing this is by attaching separate, firmer bolsters (side rails) to the outside of the air cylinders to, in effect, frame in the air cylinders (the therapeutic component) of the support surface. The added side rails, however, take away from the therapeutic surface area.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a single air cylinder 12. The foam material within the cylinder case includes a main support component or center foam section 26 and side support components or foam bolster sections 28 disposed at outside ends of the center foam section 26. The foam bolster sections 28 are firmer than the center foam section 26 to thereby provide the side bolstering function. Preferably, the foam bolster sections 28 are integral with the center foam section 26. When assembled, the foam bolster sections 28 of adjacent air cylinders 12 are aligned to define side rails along a length of the support surface. The center foam section 26 and the foam bolster sections 28 preferably extend across substantially an entire width of the support surface such that substantially the entire width of the support surface is a therapeutic surface.

The support surface 10 may additionally include a source of pressurized air 30 communicating with at least some of the air cylinders 12. The source of pressurized air 30 selectively varies the support characteristics of the air cylinder or air cylinders 12 to which it is attached.

With the bolsters connected or integrated into the internal foam in the air cylinders of a support surface, air movement can be maximized in the support surface to the widest area possible. The construction eliminates the need for added rails that typically perform this function and enable the therapeutic surface area to be increased.

While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 

1. A support surface comprising a plurality of air cylinders disposed crosswise and aligned to define the support surface, the air cylinders including a first foam therein, wherein adjacent cylinders are provided with varying support characteristics to define multiple support zones along a length of the support surface, and wherein at least some of the plurality of air cylinders additionally comprise an integrated bolster at ends thereof, the integrated bolster being formed of a second foam firmer than the first foam.
 2. A support surface according to claim 1, further comprising a source of pressurized air communicating with at least some of the air cylinders, the source of pressurized air selectively varying the support characteristics of the air cylinder or air cylinders to which it is attached.
 3. A support surface according to claim 1, wherein the first foam is layered with differing structural characteristics to create progressive support.
 4. A support surface according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the air cylinders comprise the integrated bolsters, and wherein the integrated bolsters of adjacent air cylinders are aligned to define side rails along the length of the support surface.
 5. A support surface according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of air cylinders define a cylinder section of the support surface, the support surface further comprising a head section attached to the cylinder section at a head end thereof, a heel section attached at a heel end thereof, a base layer disposed beneath the cylinder section, and an interface layer disposed overlaying the cylinder section.
 6. A support surface according to claim 5, comprising ten air cylinders.
 7. A support surface according to claim 5, wherein the base layer is disposed beneath the cylinder section and the head section, and wherein the interface layer is disposed overlaying the cylinder section and the heel section.
 8. A support surface comprising: an air cylinder section including a plurality of air cylinders; a head section attached to a head end of the cylinder section; and a heel section attached to a heel end of the cylinder section, wherein each of the plurality of cylinders comprises a foam cavity including a foam insert therein, and wherein at least some of the foam inserts comprise a center foam section and foam bolster sections disposed at outside ends of the center foam section, the foam bolster sections being firmer than the center foam section.
 9. A support surface according to claim 8, wherein the foam bolster sections of adjacent air cylinders are aligned to define side rails along a length of the support surface.
 10. A support surface according to claim 8, wherein the foam bolster sections are integral with the center foam section.
 11. A support surface according to claim 8, further comprising a source of pressurized air communicating with at least some of the air cylinders, the source of pressurized air selectively varying the support characteristics of the air cylinder or air cylinders to which it is attached.
 12. A support surface comprising a plurality of air cylinders disposed crosswise and aligned to define the support surface, the air cylinders including foam therein, wherein the air cylinders are provided with varying support characteristics and comprise: a main support component along a length of the support surface and in a center of the support surface; and a pair of side support components along the length of the support surface and on opposite sides of the main support component, the side support components being firmer than the main support component, wherein the main support component and the side support components extend across substantially an entire width of the support surface such that substantially the entire width of the support surface is a therapeutic surface.
 13. A support surface according to claim 12, wherein the support surface is less than 20″ wide.
 14. A support surface according to claim 12, wherein the support surface is about 18″ wide.
 15. A support surface according to claim 12, wherein each of the air cylinders comprises a center foam section and foam bolster sections disposed at outside ends of the center foam section, the foam bolster sections being firmer than the center foam section.
 16. A support surface according to claim 12, further comprising a source of pressurized air communicating with at least some of the air cylinders, the source of pressurized air selectively varying the support characteristics of the air cylinder or air cylinders to which it is attached. 